


All The Best Cowgirls Have Daddy Issues

by creatureofhobbit



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-01
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-27 20:28:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/666179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creatureofhobbit/pseuds/creatureofhobbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the curse is broken, Grace finds it hard dealing with living with Jefferson again and turns to Gretel for advice knowing she went through something similar with her own father. Meanwhile Michael reaches out to Jefferson.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All The Best Cowgirls Have Daddy Issues

“Hey, Ava.”

Ava Zimmer looked up in surprise when she saw who was talking to her. As well she might, since the two girls hadn’t really talked to each other that much before. Ava had generally kept to herself or stuck with her brother Nicholas right up until they’d been reunited with their father again, and Paige – Grace, she corrected herself – hadn’t been able to get to know her properly.

“Sorry, I mean Gretel. It’s taking a lot of getting used to.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Ava/Gretel shrugged. “Everyone’s having that same problem. My brother’s getting sick of me calling him Nicholas. He thinks he’s great because he never gets it wrong.”

Grace laughed, and the two sat in silence for a while. Maybe it was a mistake coming to her. She probably thought everything was great now that the curse had been broken and all her family were back together.

“So, uh, Henry Mills told me you’re back living with your dad again,” Gretel began.

“Actually, that’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about,” Grace admitted. “Since you only just found your dad again, and we’re kind of going through the same thing right now. I was just wondering how it was going for you.”

Gretel looked surprised, and for a moment Grace thought she definitely had made a mistake; she shouldn’t have asked. But Gretel paused to consider, before saying “Well, it has been kind of weird. And since the curse was broken, it’s got even weirder. Dad’s been having a hard time dealing with it.”

“What do you mean?” Grace asked.

“Well, you remember how Sheriff Emma found him at the garage and told him about us?” Gretel began. “The curse meant that he didn’t remember us. He didn’t even know he had us, and he wasn’t going to take us at first until Sheriff Emma talked to him. But that’s not what happened before. He explained it to us, he never wanted to abandon us, it was her who took him. Queen Regina. And now that he remembers everything, he’s feeling really guilty about the fact that at one time, he was considering letting us go. Sometimes it gets kind of suffocating, you know? He’s so determined to make it up to us, he never gives us any space. Every time we want to do our own thing, he’s there, wanting us to do something with him. But my brother and I, we’re not used to that. We’re trying to make the effort with him, to show him that we don’t blame him, but he won’t stop blaming himself. It was a little bit like that before the curse broke, since he still felt bad about the fact that he hadn’t been in our lives that entire time, but it got worse after he knew. Is that what’s happening with you?”

“Partly,” Grace admitted. “Dad does feel guilty about the way he left me with our neighbours so he could go to Wonderland with the Queen, and all over some stupid rabbit. I told him the rabbit didn’t matter. It wasn’t worth it, you know? I’d choose my father over the toy any time. But I kind of understand how your dad feels as well, because that whole time I didn’t remember my dad, but I know he remembered me, and how hard he was trying to get me back. But as far as I was concerned at the time, Susan and Robert were the only parents I’d ever known. I knew they weren’t my birth parents, but I always thought that it was something like what happened to Henry’s mom. I thought my real parents had given me up. And there’s a part of me that really misses living with Susan and Robert, because they were my parents for so long. But how can I explain that to my dad? I should be grateful to have my real dad back, not thinking about them. And I feel like I need to make it up to him in some way, just as he feels he does to me.”

Gretel was silent for a few moments, thinking.

“Sorry,” Grace said at last. “I shouldn’t have dumped all that on you.”

“It’s okay,” Gretel replied. “I was just thinking of something that Mr. Hopper said to my dad, something about it being what happens now that matters rather than what happened when we were cursed.”

“Maybe Mr. Hopper should have a few sessions with my dad,” Grace grinned.

“Mr. Hopper’s having sessions with most of the town right now,” Gretel replied. “But you know what might help? Maybe if your dad talked to my dad, that could work. And you know that you can talk to me any time, or even my brother if you want. Or maybe even Henry.”

“Thanks, Gretel.” Grace smiled. “I might have to take you up on that.”

 

 

“This movie’s crap,” Hansel groaned.

“Yeah, and that Evil Queen’s lame, not as bad as Regina,” Henry agreed. Grace suspected that all of them were thinking the same thing, but none of them would have said it. Whatever they all thought of her, they never said anything too bad about her in front of Henry.

“So shall we turn it off?” Gretel asked.

“I kind of need the distraction.” Grace sighed. She and Jefferson had had an argument earlier that day about her adoptive family, and she was hiding out at Hansel and Gretel’s until things had calmed down a bit.

“Look, I’m sure your dad will calm down eventually,” Gretel said. “Don’t worry about him. You know you can stay with us as long as you like.”

“But let’s find a better distraction for you than this crap,” Hansel laughed. “Dad should be back soon with the snacks, and hopefully a better movie.” He reached over and turned off the television. “In fact, that sounds like him now.” He got to his feet and ran to the door, shouting “Dad, I hope you brought the – Oh.” He turned around and walked back to where the other three were still watching Snow White And The Huntsman, and whispered “Grace, your dad’s downstairs.”

“My dad? Are you sure?”

Gretel got up and peered around the door. “He’s right,” she said before walking back out again. “Dad!” she exclaimed. “What are you doing? I told you Grace needed space.”

“You also suggested a while ago that I talk to her dad about stuff, since we’ve been through similar things,” Michael replied. “And that’s what I’ve done. Now go get Hansel and Henry, get them out of there. I think Grace and her dad need to have a proper talk.”

 

“It’s true,” Jefferson said once the others had left the room. “After talking to Michael, I understand a bit better how you’re feeling right now. I was unfair earlier. You didn’t remember me or our life before, and Michael made me realise that I should have been more understanding of that. If you want to stay in contact with Susan and Robert, that’s okay.”

“And I guess I should have been more understanding of how that made you feel, too.”

As the two of them hugged, Grace saw Gretel, Hansel and Henry giving her a thumbs up. She had her happy ending now, with her friends and her father, and there was nothing the Evil Queen could do to destroy that.


End file.
